Author: Keith Larrett

Many years ago, while I was still installing factory cabinets in new construction, I often looked across the living room from the kitchen I was working in and saw a niche or, as I referred to them, “a hole in the wall”. I’d think, “I bet someone could make a living filling those holes with custom-designed cabinetry”.

Well. Here we are.

Both my client and I were pleased with how this project came out. A simple but elegant design provides a backdrop to the TV and some cabinet space below. The cabinets feature inset doors and “push to open” hinges allowing them to blend in as wall paneling. The shiplap added some interest to the area behind the TV and the stained alder mantle and floating shelf contrast beautifully against the white shiplap.

My clients had replaced the TV built into one of their kitchen cabinets. The different aspect ratio of the new TV meant the frame around needed to be modified to fit. The frame was covering the TV on the sides and there were large gaps above and below the TV.

I cut the sides of the frame and trimmed it with molding and a speaker mesh panel to conceal the gaps. The TV mount also had to be raised slightly within the cabinet.

The TV fit perfectly within the new opening and the modified frame with moldings and speaker mesh worked well with the existing cabinetry.

A window bench with filing drawers and a bookcase built from Makore and curly maple.

This should go a long way toward organizing paperwork in my client’s home study.

A previous client’s father’s home was flooded and my client reached out to me for help with the renovations. The cabinets were ordered from my friend Mike at Quality Cabinet Services and I installed them. I built and installed the butcher block countertops.

Not work-related, but a highlight from last year, our trip to Zimbabwe. A wonderful vacation with my family. We spent time at both Victoria Falls and Lake Kariba.

So many memories, but I’ll share one with you. Early one morning as we were leaving the town of Kariba, traffic slowed to a crawl coming down the hill. The road was partially blocked by a small herd of elephants walking down the road.

For those of you who had to trudge to school through the snow, uphill both ways, I can assure you that elephants blocking the road is way cooler.

Anyway, as we maneuvered past the elephants it was pretty obvious that the traffic was agitating them and one of the elephants trumpeted loudly. I’ve heard that often on TV and in movies, but there is very little that compares to hearing it up close in real life. So amazing.

The call of an African fish eagle, very similar to that of the American bald eagle, has always, to my mind, been the cry of Africa. To that l can now add the trumpeting of an elephant.

Two projects, including some in-progress shots, for my best client. My lovely wife. A console table and a quilt rack.

Her projects often take a back seat to others so it’s really nice to be able to build something for her.

I was fortunate to be invited to demonstrate at the Florida Woodturning Symposium in February of 2023. Well technically I was re-re-invited as the original invitation was for 2021 then Covid canceled that as well as 2022. Needless to say, I had a long time to prepare.

The Symposium was held at a new venue this year in Lakeland, Florida. The new venue was great and the organizers did a great job. I hope the Symposium goes from strength to strength at this venue.

I demonstrated on three topics, Christmas Birdhouse Ornaments, paper glue joints in woodturning, and threaded pewter collars and finials. Keeping three demonstrations in my brain made my head hurt, but for the most part, I think they went well and were well received.

One of the highlights of the Symposium for me was to have a piece I had placed in the Gallery chosen for public critique. There were only five pieces chosen for this so it was a real honor. Of the five pieces chosen, four of them were by members of my woodturning club, an amazing achievement.

Later in the weekend that same piece, my “Cracked Ice Platter”, was voted 3rd place in Best of Show. The prize was a gift certificate from sponsor Viable Lumber in St. Pete. This is another way of saying I’ll be making a road trip to St. Pete in the near future and returning with a truck full of wood and a big smile on my face!

What a fun project this was!

My client had a collection of Willits Jazz Statues and wanted an appropriate display stand for them. When I first saw them I was blown away by how much character the statues had. My second reaction was how heavy they are. They are made from cast concrete!

This is the display stand I came up with. I thought the stylized piano keys inlaid in the border of each shelf complimented the character of the statues nicely.

The main wood used is Makore veneer, also known as African cherry. I’ll definitely be using this again. The grain is gorgeous. The piano keys are made from dyed black poplar, white sycamore, and charcoal poplar.

I’ve been asked numerous times if the border of piano keys is painted on the shelves. The answer is no. They are wood veneers inlaid into the veneer of the shelf, a process called marquetry.

As with many of my projects, I started this one without knowing what to do and figured it out along the way. It’s similar to building a bridge you’re stepping onto.

This fireplace surround was unique because of my client’s choice of electric fireplace. Unlike most electric fireplaces which only have one display face, this one had the option of being visible from three sides. There were a number of ways that the unit could be mounted. My clients chose to have it mounted with a mantle both above and below the fireplace. To my mind, those mantles, made from stained white oak veneer, are the most stunning feature of this fireplace surround.

The countertops and floating shelves are made from the same veneer, with the floating shelves featuring dimmable LED lights. The cabinetry, with inset glass doors, is finished in white to match the existing trim work in the room.

Speakers from the sound system needed to sit on the sides of the cabinets, so rather than just have them on the floor, I built some boxes using the white oak veneer for them to sit on.

On occasion, I’ve received a commission to build and ship a project. It’s not something I’ve done a lot and never anything larger than a vanity, but it is something I’m open to.

As always there is a trade-off.

In this case, the trade-off of not having to install the project is countered by having to package and ship it. It’s quite the adventure to crate something as large as a bathroom vanity, schedule transportation with a freight company, deal with the pickup and loading, and then wonder if something you’ve spent a considerable amount of time building is going to survive a long journey without any damage.

All this in addition to designing a custom piece to meet your client’s needs and specifications via many, many emails.

Much of woodworking and cabinetry is about solving problems. Designing and shipping projects for a faraway client is simply a different set of problems to be taken on and solved.

The pair of vanities shown here, both made from white oak, were shipped to South Carolina.